From the acclaimed author of The Forest of Moon and Sword comes a high-seas adventure for readers 9+. When Nico Cloud climbs aboard her famous aunt's ship, she doesn't know that it's about to set-sail on a voyage that has the power to change the world...

1815. Twelve-year-old Nico Cloud is obsessed with science and maps; 'fossils are the past and seeds are the future.' Her parents have no time for her outlandish opinions - after all, a girl's work is embroidery.

After overhearing that her parents plan to send her away to boarding school, Nico goes in search of her aunt Ruth, a famous scientist who has a life she can only dream of. Nico climbs aboard her ship, Anthos, to take a quick look. Then... the ship moves, and Nico is still on it.

If she is to stay on the great ship destined for voyage and discovery, she must help her aunt with important research. But there are pirates on their tail. With the help of cabin boy, Matteo, and a kitten called Astra, can Nico outsmart them? Can Nico guide Anthos to victory... can she change the world?